Saying Thank You can be Hard
by Maki831
Summary: It's hard to do something nice when you're grumpy. So imagine how much harder it is when you're Grumpy Bear.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Saying Thank You Can Be Hard

Rating: K

Pairings: None

Summary: It's not always easy to do something nice when you're feeling grumpy. So imagine how much harder it's gonna be if you're Grumpy Bear.

Warnings: None really.

Spoilers: None

Notes: All rights and properties belong to Nelvana and Dic. Just a cute little situation inspired while coloring with my nephew. Will be four chapters long and written for the younger readers on this site. :)

Grumpy Bear gazed around the small batch of flowers at his pawed feet and grimaced. Dozens of happy, petaled faces stared up at him as if to say 'Pick me! Pick me!' It made him even more uncomfortable than he already was.

He tugged on the string clutched in his paw and watched as the heart shaped balloon above him bobbed back and forth. He was being silly, he knew. Who was unsure about something that smiled at you? It was a flower, for goshsakes! It wasn't going to bite!

He glanced back down at the garden and frowned, something he knew Cheer Bear wouldn't have liked had she been there to see him. Grumpy also knew that she would have told him outright how silly he was being. 'Just take one!' she'd probably say with a big smile, 'Friend Bear planted them there for everyone. You know he won't mind.'

No, Friend Bear wouldn't have minded. That wasn't what bothered Grumpy anyway. He wanted to take a flower. He had a very good reason to.

He just didn't know if he could do it.

"Hiya, Grumpy Bear!"

The sudden shout startled him so much that he almost stumbled into the patch of flowers. The balloon string slipped from his paw and he jumped to save it before he turned around.

Friend Bear was making his way up the rainbow path toward the flower patch. A straw hat sat on his head and he carried a red watering can in one paw. He used the other to wave to Grumpy Bear, whose eyes darted around in search of an escape that didn't exist on the small cloud where he and the flowers stood.

Trapped, he sulked to himself.

Friend Bear smiled brightly as he stepped before Grumpy. "Good morning!"

"Morning," Grumpy mumbled, looking away.

Friend Bear set down the watering can down. "I'm a little surprised to see you here. Are you having a good day?"

"…Fine."

"That's good to hear. Did you want a flower?"

Grumpy crossed his arms and didn't answer.

"I see that Share Bear gave you one of her balloons."

Yikes! The blue bear tried to hide the string behind his back. This surprised Friend Bear and he smiled as the pieces came together. "So that's why you're here. You want to give Share Bear a flower."

"No!" Grumpy objected with a scowl, "That's not why!"

"Then why are you here?"

"Well, um...I..."

"Don't be ashamed Grumpy," Friend Bear soothed, putting a paw on his shoulder. "I think it's really nice of you. Here, I'll pick a whole bunch of them for you to give to her."

He hopped into the patch and gathered a pawfull of blossoms together. Grumpy protested the entire time and scowled even harder as he waved his arms and shook his head.

"There!" Friend announced as he hopped back in front of Grumpy Bear and shoved the bouquet into his arms. "Share Bear will love these. Now hurry, I think she's at the playground."

Before Grumpy Bear could answer, Friend Bear spun him around and pushed him onto the Rainbow path. A bit too hard, for the blue bear tripped and nearly lost his balloon again. Once he caught himself, he turned to shout back but stopped when he was met with the sight of Friend Bear waving. So instead Grumpy Bear muttered to himself and started down the path.

The playground. He'd have to pass Good Luck Bear's house, the cloud car parking lot, the Hall of Hearts and Wish Bear's looking post before he would get there.

He looked down at the bundle in his arms and hoped very hard not to see anyone else along the way.


	2. Chapter 2

Unfortunately, Grumpy Bear knew that no matter how hard he hoped the sight of him trudging around Care-a-Lot with an armful of flowers was not going to keep any of the Care Bears away from him.

Good Luck Bear would probably be the first to prove that.

Grumpy Bear walked faster the moment he caught sight of the familiar green picket fence. Maybe if he were lucky enough he would be past the house before Good Luck Bear so much as glanced out the window. Or maybe, if he was really lucky, his fellow Care Bear wouldn't even be home. Maybe he was on a caring mission or helping Tender Heart Bear repair some of the cloud cars.

"Grumpy Bear!"

Or maybe he was right in front of his house, swinging on the giant tire hanging from the tree.

Grumpy lowered his head and pretended not to hear him. Good Luck Bear got down from the swing, ran over and opened the gate just as Grumpy Bear was about to pass it.

"Hello again," he greeted his blue brother with a smile, "You ran away so fast earlier that I forgot to tell you that Tender Heart wanted to know if you'd please help him with one of the cloud cars."

Earlier? Grumpy Bear tried to remember. Oh, right. Good Luck Bear had been with Share Bear when she had given out the balloons. Had he really run away from her that fast? Ugh.

And now Tender Heart wanted help. Well, Grumpy guessed that since he was headed that way he'd stop by. Tender Heart was much more of a leader than a mechanic anyway. Just ask the last set of cloud brakes he tried to repair. Grumpy had crashed into a tree while making a quick stop in the Forest of Feelings right after Tender Heart had 'fixed' them.

"I'll go see him now," Grumpy Bear said.

He sidestepped Good Luck Bear and tried to walk away. A green paw rose to stop him and Good Luck said, "You know, you didn't tell her thank you."

The flowers in Grumpy Bears arms felt like they'd gained a hundred pounds and he winced slightly. "Who?"

Good Luck Bear shook his head. "You know who I mean. Share Bear. She was hurt and worried when you ran away without saying anything. She thought you were angry with her."

Angry? No, Grumpy hadn't been angry. He'd been...surprised by Share's gift. And embarrassed when Wish Bear -who had also been there- pointed out the smidge of pinkness that had found it's way to his cheeks. Grumpy Bear hadn't liked how it had made him feel so he had just taken off to be by himself.

He already knew he that hadn't thanked her and felt bad for it. He didn't need Good Luck Bear to tell him so. What did he think these flowers were for?

Grumpy Bear blinked. Wait, Good Luck Bear didn't know. And if Grumpy Bear wanted to keep it that way, then he had to get out of there. Quick.

"I'm going to tell her," he said, walking around the green bear, "Right after I talk to Tender Heart."

Good Luck Bear stared at him for a second and then nodded his approval. "Good."

Unsettled by the scrutiny, Grumpy bid him a hasty farewell and hurried away.

He only got about nine steps when Good Luck Bear called, "Grumpy Bear, wait!"

He considered running away again but thought better of it. Besides, what had it accomplished him so far today?

He turned around and saw Good Luck conjure up a four-leaf clover from the symbol on his tummy. He then ran over and stuck it in the middle of the flowers in Grumpy's arms.

"For luck," he said with a wink before turning and heading back to his house.

Grumpy Bear glanced down at the clover and thought about everything Good Luck Bear had told him.

If Share Bear had been that hurt by what he had done then he might end up needing all the luck he could get.


	3. Chapter 3

And so Grumpy Bear continued, with a dozen flowers topped by a clover in one paw and a red heart balloon in the other.

Being seen by Good Luck Bear hadn't been as bad as Grumpy thought it would be. It had helped a little actually, knowing that at least one bear wasn't going to tease him about what he was trying to do.

Then again, why was it so hard for him to do something nice without getting nervous?

Like saying thank you?

He climbed over a small cloud hill and found himself in the parking lot. After a moment of searching he spotted Tender Heart halfway under the front of a cloud car. A heartbox of tools lay by his foot paws.

"Come on," he muttered as Grumpy Bear drew closer. "Fit, pad. Fit!"

It sounded like the brakes again. Grumpy Bear shook his head and then leaned down next to Tender Heart. "Good Luck Bear told me you needed some help."

A grateful brown paw held out a wrench from beneath the car. "Please."

Grumpy reached for the tool and nearly lost all of his flowers. He situated them again and then looked around for a place to keep them safe. He considered the front seat of the cloud car but then realized that his balloon wouldn't stay there. Maybe if he tied it to the steering wheel...

Tender Heart wondered what was taking so long and wiggled out to investigate. His eyes widened at the bundle in Grumpy's arms and he scrambled to his feet.

"Here," he said, "I'll hold that for you."

Grumpy Bear hesitated and then shrugged. He gave Tender Heart the flowers, took the wrench and then handed over the balloon.

"Be careful with that," he warned before disappearing under the car.

"I will," Tender Heart promised.

Grumpy Bear made himself comfortable and then looked up at the belly of the car. Sure enough, the new brake Tender Heart had tried to put in was backwards. Grumpy humphed, unscrewed it and started over.

Tendar Heart peeked under the car and said, "Thanks for helping me. I don't know why I have so much trouble with cloud cars. My rainbow-roller never gives me any problems."

"Then why bother trying to fix the cloud car now?"

"Because I need a group of Bears for a Caring Mission soon."

Oh. Grumpy met his eyes. "What kind of mission?"

Tender Heart's voice was wistful. "We're going to try and stop some middle school kids from bullying others. They've been hurting a lot of feelings for the last two days."

Bullies. Now there was a group of kids that needed some serious caring lessons. Grumpy humphed again and then clicked the brake into place. A moment later it was tightened and he wiggled back out next to Tender Heart.

"All fixed," he reported, wiping his paws off on his knees. "Let's give it a test run and see how it works."

Tender Heart shook his head. "I don't need to. I trust you, Grumpy Bear." A moment. "Would you like to come with us on this mission? I'd appreciate your help and I'm sure Share Bear and Funshine would, too."

Grumpy Bear blinked. Share Bear was leaving? Now?

He grabbed the flowers and balloon out of Tender Heart's surprised arms. "I've got to talk to Share before you leave! Wait right here!"

"What? Grumpy Bear, wait!"

The blue bear had already started to run in the direction of the playground. "I can't! I have to tell her thank you!"

Thank you? Tender Heart repeated to himself. So that was why Grumpy Bear was carrying so much stuff! He should have known that something was up. And by the look of it, Friend Bear and Good Luck Bear had tried to help out.

Well, after all of Grumpy's help with the car Tender Heart was more than happy to return the favor. He thought quickly and then produced a heart-shaped thank you card from his tummy.

Then he hurried after Grumpy Bear.


	4. Chapter 4

He should have just kept running.

Instead, Grumpy Bear now carried yet another small token for Share Bear in the same paw that held his balloon. Tender Heart had chased him down and insisted that Grumpy take the thank you card with him. Grumpy had refused at first but Tender Heart wouldn't stop following him until he agreed.

Grumpy felt that he hadn't had a choice. After all, the last thing he wanted was an audience when he found Share Bear. So he accepted the card and continued running.

He was now on the rainbow path that led up to the Hall of Hearts. Once it came into view he ran even faster. From the Hall the path would turn right, run straight past Wish Bear's post and then end in the middle of the playground.

And was Grumpy Bear ever grateful! It felt like months had passed since he had started his small quest for Share Bear. Saying thank you and that you were sorry sure could take a long time.

He tried to decide how to approach her when he found her. Should he hide everything behind his back and then surprise Share with it? Or should he just give her everything outright and start apologizing? Which would Share Bear expect? Which would she prefer?

"LOOK OUT!"

The young voice scared Grumpy out of his thoughts just in time to see the little red wagon right in front of him. Somehow, he managed to jump up in time and sail safely over it, congratulating himself on the way down for avoiding disaster.

"Grumpy Bear!"

Or so he thought.

He landed right on a yellow skateboard that had been hiding on the other side of the wagon and shot forward down the path.

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" He yelled as he waved his arms and struggled to keep his balance, balloon and Share Bear's gifts in his paws. Soon, the turn in the path he had reminded himself about was upon him and he just closed his eyes in defeat. Since Grumpy Bear had never learned how to ride a skateboard properly turning was completely out of the question. So he held the bundle tighter in his paws and braced himself for the crash.

It went pretty much the way he expected. The turn came, he kept going straight, the world tilted upside down and the dark blue bear found himself stuck head first in the clouds.

Minus everything he had been holding.

Two things came to mind as he kicked his feet in the air. One was that this REALLY wasn't his day, and the other was,_ I'm going to get those cubs._

Paws grabbed his legs and the next thing Grumpy knew, he was pulled out from the cloud and sitting right side up. He shook the last of the daze from his head and then focused on the two small bears that stood in front of him. One looked worried, while the other looked both worried and scared.

Grumpy Bear glared at them. "Baby Hugs and Baby Tugs."

The two cubs squeaked and then grabbed onto each other. "We're sorry!" Baby Tugs cried. "Hugs and I were playing and then Share Bear came with balloons for us and-and we just forgot about our toys!"

"We didn't mean to hurt anyone!" Baby Hugs added. "We're really, really sorry!"

"Er, Share Bear?" was all Grumpy could say.

A paw rested on his shoulder. "Are you all right, Grumpy Bear?"

He turned his head and found Share standing behind him. Surprised, he yelped and then hurriedly crawled around the cloud in search of her things.

_Flower…flower…another flower…another flower…! _He snatched them up as he came upon them, trying hard not to grimace at the condition most of them were in and not caring a bit about how silly he must have looked. Darn it, where was the card and clover?

"Here, let me help you."

Grumpy Bear almost yelped again as Share Bear knelt beside him. Panicked, he glanced at the flowers in his hand, hid them behind his back, changed his mind, hid them again and then finally just shoved the damaged bouquet into Share's arms and babbled, "He-here! These are for you! Thank you for the balloon and I'm sorry for running away and not telling you thank you sooner but I'm here now saying it so thank you again!"

He stopped there to take a much-needed deep breath and felt his cheeks redden again. Somewhere off to the right the cubs giggled and Grumpy scowled for what must have been the fiftieth time that morning.

Then all at once he was being hugged by Share so tightly that he started to run out of breath again. Then she smiled and surprised him by kissing his cheek. "See? That wasn't so hard to say, was it?"

The scowl vanished a bit and Grumpy touched his cheek. Well, let's see. A misunderstanding, Share Bear's hurt feelings, meddling bears, a crash landing, lost presents and giggly baby cubs.

He'd never had a harder time saying thank you in his life.


End file.
